In Cappadocia, famous for its fairy chimneys, a necropolis area with a different type of grave that has never been seen before was unearthed.
The necropolis area was found during excavations on the highway connecting Göreme to the town of Ortahisar, which was closed to transportation in 2022.
The excavation project is a part of the “heritage for the future” initiative, which includes the excavation in front of the Göreme Open Air Museum and the ancient city of Sobessos in Ürgüp.
Archaeological excavations in the area where the necropolis is located continue under the supervision of the Art History Department of Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University.
Cappadocia Area President Birol İnceciköz said that the findings of the excavations at the entrance of Göreme Open Air Museum will change the face of the area.
Since 1956, new archaeological sites have been identified during the archaeological rescue excavations started in the area used as a highway.
Birol İnceciköz said, “We have found the first necropolis area of this geography with different grave types. This means that if this area had been excavated on time and this road had not been opened in the past, these areas would have been identified much earlier.
Stating that the area will be designed as an archaeopark in 2025 within the framework of the new findings, İnceciköz said, “We have many investments in the region. We have restored 4 fairy chimneys that had never been touched until today and were about to be demolished. We started excavation and protection activities in Sobesos Ruins.”
Cover Photo: Behçet Alkan/AA
